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 Posted - February 01 2022 : 02:35:27 AM
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So, I got a call from Jimmy, he'd moved his layout from the upstairs to a garage space, and could I
help him out with the track design and layout. TBH, the size of the thing, 8' x 12', really seemed to
be an awkward use of space, but on the flip side of the coin, that's not really big for O scale.
Using the EZ track we had on hand, we followed a general outline that he wanted: long double main
to facilitate long passenger trains, and an inner branch line. He also had a small pile of Life Like Power
Lock track and wanted an elevation, so we put that to use.
For many years, the L girder type construction has been the gold standard. I've done it, and
that aspect of the hobby, carpentry, has never been something I enjoyed. It is a necessary evil. Well,
come to find out that Jimmy, who holds a Ph.D. in metallurgy, skipped all that and used 3/4 inch
ply on prefab saw horses. It's heavy, but so what? It isn't going anywhere. Additionally, it is solid as
rock and doesn't sag.
We threw down tha track, and in about four or five hours had three lines up and running. No bus wires, either. And my experience has been that bus wires are requisite for AC operations, but not so with DC. One set of wires and the whole thing worked just fine off a one amp MRC power pack. Joiners all good, and no hesitation or stalling anywhere.
The center elevated section is made up of some extra Life Like Power Lock track, which has its utility, but
my fingers are still sore from assembling it. The Bachmann stuff goes together in a breeze.
What impressed me the most was how seamlessly all three lines operated. So much so, that I tried out some of
my European stuff on it, the stuff with the biggest pizza cutter flanges I had, and found that it took to the EZ track like a duck to water. In fact, even my most cantankerous piece, a cherished by balky Tri Ang Electra, ran like a dream.
And here I am, having spent a small fortune on expensive Hornby track, thinking it would improve overal function, and this Bachmann stuff is hands down more reliable and handles my pizza cutters without a murmur.
I had been planning a 2x8 extension of Henley, but after seeing how well everything else ran on this set up, without all the endless troubleshooting, that I've deciided to bag all my Hornby track and sell it on eBay and
use the proceeds to buy a load of EZ track and also create an 8x12.
I've tried following the best advice in model railroading for a long time, and I am ready to kick the traces and
go back to what works for me.
I'm going to have some tweaks, such as adding a little sway in the long straight aways and probably at least
a second diamond for the operational interest. A very simplified fiddle yard, engine house, few turn outs
as possible, and no elevated section.
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Posted - February 01 2022 : 6:09:29 PM
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| Nice story, Chops. Glad your engines were able to run on the EZ track. Looking forward to your new layout. It looks like your friend Jimmy has a lot of nice display cases on the side walls. If OK with Jimmy, and you have the photos. please do post. I'm like a little kid in a candy store looking through the glass cases at the contents, in this case, trains.
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Posted - February 01 2022 : 7:07:20 PM
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Jimmy has one of the more interesting collections I've seen. I will definitely grab some snaps
next time I'm over there.
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Posted - February 01 2022 : 7:14:04 PM
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you need that Lighted Union Station sign for the station 
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Posted - February 01 2022 : 10:33:02 PM
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Jimmy's layout looks cool!
Can't wait to see what you have in store for Henley's expansion.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - February 01 2022 : 11:19:31 PM
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Got a point, there Ben! It was a spare building from a
module, which I set up temporarily so we could assess
the size and placement of Jimmy;s station in progress.
I plan to steal a page from El Rojo Grande and make it
a Penn Central terminal!!!
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Posted - February 05 2022 : 04:14:26 AM
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So, after testing out the main track plan using the worst of my pizza cutter flanges, and finding that it
worked very well, we tested out the British HO stuff, with less pronounced flanges, and found that
they worked exceptionally well. In fact, they worked so well that it wasn't until we started running Tyco, etc,
were we able to locate snakeheads and other track defects that the British stuff ran right over without
complaint.
This video is rather dull in nature, but demonstrates how nicely the British stuff worked. It is worth noting
that power is at 50% or less. Additionally, there are no bus wires and no evidence of voltage drop.
After the vid was shot, and the battery quit, we installed a set of two back to back #4 turnouts that
allowed the outermost circuit to communicate with the inner circuit and then again to the innermost
twice around circuit. It was great to see that the British stuff had no trouble with the #4's, as well.
A defective #4 was eventually located (the English stuff didn't even murmur) that consisted of the rivet holding the guide rail was just a tiny bit loose allowing the rail to float up and the succeeding wheel would then
pick the point. Attempts to compress the rivet failed, and the switch, $40, had to be tossed. Later, an odd derailment periodically occurred in the vicinity of a rerailer piece. Only upon the closest inspection was it
discovered that one rail was slight bowed inward, creating too narrow a gauge, and would quietly slip on
bogie off the rails. It appeared to be a factory molding defect. Tossed that one, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOKBGlP3hPo
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Posted - February 06 2022 : 10:08:16 PM
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Nice to see the layout in action, in the video.
Jimmy's collection, being on shelves lining the walls of the layout, looks quite expansive. I spotted a Lipton and Wonder Bread centerflows.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - February 07 2022 : 8:01:37 PM
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Armadillos Everywhere!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgEKqDaEDYI
Further testing, and a little re-arranging. The British stuff worked so well that it would walk
over defects like snake heads and open points, so North American stuff, and Tyco, was used
because it is much more sensitive to problems. In total, about seven snake heads, one
out of gauge straight, and one broken turnout were repaired using these trains as diagnostic
tools.
By contrast, running trains on the 4x8 Armodilloville generally requird at least 30 minutes of
trouble shooting with each running session. My best guess is the sectional track just amplified any
baseboard irregularities. I have similar issues on Henley. Here, the trains just run and run and run.
Again, no bus wires were used.
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Posted - February 08 2022 : 1:02:14 PM
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Hey Chops, is "snake head" a term you made up, or have I just never heard it before? Either way, what's it mean?
1212
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
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Posted - February 08 2022 : 10:55:57 PM
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https://aaronwmarrs.com/blog/2012/02/snakeheads-on-antebellum-railroads.html
In this case, an adjoining rail riding on top of its companion rail joiner, causing the wheel
to trip up and over into a derailment.
My personal appellation for model track spikes that come loose and lurk at coupler hose, or
horn hook uncoupler peg level, is a "spider head." We removed a lot of those, too, as the track
had been previously tacked down.
Edited by - Chops124 on February 08 2022 10:59:08 PM
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 Posted - February 09 2022 : 07:15:28 AM
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Looks fun to run.
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Posted - February 09 2022 : 10:22:06 AM
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It really is, WKS. I've always wanted to make a layout where track issues were almost zero, and
this EZ stuff really works towards that end. I never realized that British OO would run so good on it.
Here are a few photos from Jimmy's collection, taken before the battery quit.
  
Jimmy's collection is such that when I gaze upon it, I generally see something I didn't see before.
Jimmy really loves his Tyco six axle tankers, at last count I saw 24 of them! I'm not entirely sure,
but I think this Mobil is rare. In any event, definitely a major cool factor.
I am getting to spend a lot of time with my pleasant friend this last week. For several days we
worked on developing and debugging the layout, then enjoyed the rest of the evening at a
classic West Texas Honky Tonk that was not three blocks from my house, and I never knew it was there.
Jimmy and I are both passionate old school country wetern music fans.
Working on Jimmy's layout has provided some strong inspiration about how I want to advance Henley's growth. Now that I see how sweetly my favorite pieces can, have a whole new garage buster plan in mind.
I had sold a chunk of surplus on feeBay and garnered about 1K, which still hardly made much a dent, and blew it on imported Hornby track, which is top of the mark, but to my astonishment is not nearly as reliable as is the Bachmann with its cheap plastic roadbed which knits the rails together fairly seamlessly. I am have come to the mountain, the Lord sayeth "Bachmann."
Some huge changes coming to Henley, soon. Going to reaching for operational characteristics that farily force the opeator to take ownership of his train and develop cooperaton with rival interests.
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Posted - February 11 2022 : 12:29:37 PM
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quote:https://aaronwmarrs.com/blog/2012/02/snakeheads-on-antebellum-railroads.html
In this case, an adjoining rail riding on top of its companion rail joiner, causing the wheel
to trip up and over into a derailment.
My personal appellation for model track spikes that come loose and lurk at coupler hose, or
horn hook uncoupler peg level, is a "spider head." We removed a lot of those, too, as the track
had been previously tacked down.
Originally posted by Chops124Â -Â February 08 2022Â :Â 10:55:57 PM
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Thanks for the answer, Chops.
I was aware of the tendency of the old strap rail to come loose and skewer the passing rolling stock, but if I'd heard it referred to as a snake head I'd forgotten. However, that certainly isn't what was happening on your buddy's layout (!) so thanks for explaining what was happening.
1213
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
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Posted - February 20 2022 : 4:08:20 PM
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG4KMmOX1UU
A five hour torture test with the Bachmann EZ track. The engines got so hot that the smell of
cooked gear grease and ozone perfumed the air. The track performed magnificently. The Lionel
E 60, which was known for its tendency to sputter and stall stood up and barked for five straight
hours of run time.
We worked on the "air line" a bit, and have a neat little Bachmann cable car for it. Had to debug it
a bit, and it is the Life Like Power Lock stuff, which tends to join up with uneven rail heads. But we
got it going, just needs some track cleaning, which is hard to do because it is hard to reach.
Henley is going to get a complete makeover using EZ track exclusively, but not in the 8 x 12 format.
Ability to reach stuff is particularly important when doing scenery.
I get no joy from carpentry; so three portable 3.5 x 6 tables will be used with a simple plywood overlay.
To raise the height, milk crates will be placed under the table legs.
The problem with wood is that sooner or later it reacts to heat and humidity, even on the best built layouts.
When master craftsmen are showing off their layouts, they never talk about what derailment issues spring up
due to warping. I dunno, maybe it never happens because they are so talented.
Styrofoam, from what I have seen close up and personal, is that it tends to sag, particular at the ends.
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Posted - February 21 2022 : 09:18:41 AM
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Wow - that must be a fun layout to run trains on for hours. It looks like the trains run really smoothly.
Say...what happened to that steam engine that never made it into the engine shed?
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - February 21 2022 : 5:05:54 PM
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Regarding the wood warping issue: that's really not been much of an issue for me or my dad here on the damp side of the mountains in Pennsylvania. With Homasote, it was a MAJOR problem, but with an adequately built layout warpage and sagging should never be a problem. We learned a long time ago that, contrary to what the magazines say with their obsession with lightweight benchwork, the more sturdy you build things the better they hold up.
Experience has taught us that at a minimum, 1x4 pine of at least #2 grade works well for both the benchwork and the subroadbed. If, as most of you seem to be doing, you use plywood as subroadbed, it shouldn't be less than 1/2" thick. Particle board, unsupported homasote, and other similar materials should not be used.
Our preferred consturction is to build the benchwork from good grade white pine. The subroadbed is cut and pieced from white pine plank. Again the use of good wood, preferrably clear pine, is recommended. We carefully eyeball the wood we buy before purchase, and only select the straightest pieces we can find. If it's already warped in the luimber yard we leave it be. And to prevent moisture from affecting it, we stain it before use. In my dad's case, the actual track was laid on TruScale roadbed. The earliest section of his current layout was built in March 1978, and is still in use. It has held up well under 40 some years of heavy usage, hosting weekly operating sessions on a busy railroad the entire time.
The latest layout I built was from a time when I didn't have alot of money to spend, and I used 1x3 furring strips because a friend had alot of them he let me have for cheap. I've regretted that decision since. The tables themselves haven't warped over time, but they're not as sturdy as I'd like. The legs, however, had to be replaced. And trying to drive spikes into knot filled wood has been a nightmare. There is one switch where I didn't pay attention and laid it on a warped piece of wood that has a horizontal curve to it, Some of my bigger engines like to bottom out on this switch, but most run through it with no problems.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that if you "overbuild" the layout with good materials, warping and sagging should never be a problem. But if you underbuild with inferior materials you will have problems.
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Posted - February 21 2022 : 6:44:36 PM
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Very useful information, Jward. I, too, fell for the lightweight construction
promoted by the Glossy's as a best practice. Disaster after disaster followed.
Excuse the pun, but I think you nailed it with the point being to overbuild.
There was some Truscale at the Club for some years. In the dry, baking
110F temperatures it warped quite badly over time. Scores of yards of
it had to be ripped out and replaced with flex track on cork.
In some regards, the EZ stuff is "overbuilt." I have used set track for
years and always have problems and reoccuring problems with it.
For me, after seeing the results we were getting with some of the
junkiest model trains every made, I am abandoning set track all
together for the EZ stuff.
Perhaps my skills stink, in which case more the reason for me to
demote myself to EZ track.
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Posted - February 22 2022 : 12:47:09 AM
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TO be honest, the best source for how to build the benchwork remains the Atlas plan books. If you stick with their recommendations with regards to building material you will end up with a very sturdy layout. And the methods they use can be applied to any layout.
EZ track is nice but it does have some drawbacks. Due to the need to provide room for the connectors, the switches take up far more room than anybody else's. And the switch motors are buried beneath the roadbed. Bachmann does not provide parts support for those motors when they inevitably fail. If you can live with those, it's a good choice. If not, Atlas True Track has the switch motors mounted above ground in the traditional location where they are easily worked on, and they sell the motors seperately. They are the same as the ones used on regular code 83 switches. But if you are running European equipment with the deep flanges, you might have problems with code 83 that you wouldn't with EZ track.
In model railroading, as with real life, compromises must be made. You just need to figure out which ones you can live with and which ones are deal breakers.
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Posted - February 23 2022 : 01:22:35 AM
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Good info. I've tried a few of the Atlas plans, and they are quite good.
Inevitably, the set track always seems to incur all kinds of trouble,
often warpage communicated by the baseboard construction. I think
the insight as to overbuilding it makes a LOT of sense. Never heard
of staining the wood before hand, but certainly makes sense. Raw
wood will attract moisture, no doubt. Probably the worst track plan
I ever copied was the Tyco Expander Layout. Really, very poorly
imagined (I'll spare the step by step criticism, such as the
facing #4 switches with no exit to the inner loop). The TEL featured
rerailing sections about every yard or so, which was quite necessary,
even under the best of circumstances.
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Posted - February 23 2022 : 11:30:11 AM
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxDzgWMmIMw
Knocking about with some old stuff. It is a quick job
to identify defects in rolling stock as the track is
not part of the equation.
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Posted - March 16 2022 : 6:38:13 PM
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Trying to get some old Rivarrossi coaches to hang together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Z2uoRXbm4
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Posted - March 16 2022 : 9:33:14 PM
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Great video - it looks like scenery is progressing nicely on Jimmy's layout.
I know that feeling when cars keep uncoupling.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - March 17 2022 : 11:12:30 AM
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quote:Good info. I've tried a few of the Atlas plans, and they are quite good.
Inevitably, the set track always seems to incur all kinds of trouble,
often warpage communicated by the baseboard construction. I think
the insight as to overbuilding it makes a LOT of sense. Never heard
of staining the wood before hand, but certainly makes sense. Raw
wood will attract moisture, no doubt. Probably the worst track plan
I ever copied was the Tyco Expander Layout. Really, very poorly
imagined (I'll spare the step by step criticism, such as the
facing #4 switches with no exit to the inner loop). The TEL featured
rerailing sections about every yard or so, which was quite necessary,
even under the best of circumstances.
Originally posted by Chops124Â -Â February 23 2022Â :Â 01:22:35 AM
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Most of the problems with the TLE layout were due to the use of the snap switches with the 18r curved side and the unnecessary S curves they introduced into the plan. Stuff with truck mounted couplers running forward worked OK on layouts like this, but try backing trains up, or running cars and locomotives with body mounted couplers and you'd be in for a world of frustration. The layout itself can be redesigned using Atlas #4 switches while still keeping the character of the layout. The gentler curves, and built in straight section of these switches all but eliminates the S curve problem. I have a redesigned TLE layout plan using these switches if you'd like to see it.
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Posted - March 17 2022 : 1:32:45 PM
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Looks great.
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Posted - March 17 2022 : 2:18:38 PM
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| Yes! We'd all love to see it.
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Posted - March 29 2022 : 1:20:35 PM
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A very interesting layout !
I don't take myself seriously, so I apologize if you do.
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Posted - April 14 2022 : 05:21:30 AM
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Ship & Save the Penn Central Way!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwOrbWmvhBI
Goofing off at Jimmy's place.
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Posted - April 14 2022 : 07:11:40 AM
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Jeff at first glance I thought you put the legs on the wrong side of the table. My years of working as an electrician allowed me to recognize the spotlight at the top.
So is your garage ceiling high enough to have the layout lift syatem put in to raise you layout up to allow your car to get back into your garage. A daunting task that can be accomplished.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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Posted - April 14 2022 : 11:49:35 AM
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No, this would be Jimmy's garage. Layout measures 8 x 16. Hoisting that
monster up would really be something.
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Posted - April 14 2022 : 12:50:48 PM
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I'd like to find the Hills Bros Coffee & Clark Bar boxcars 
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Posted - June 14 2022 : 8:46:07 PM
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Jimmy and I were laying in some water on his layout. Not a lot of room to work with, so we worked
with the concept of suggesting water, confined to an area perhaps not much more than six inches
deep, traversed by a draw bridge, and bounded by other tracks.
Using a thin layer of Clear Gorilla Glue, a layer was put down upon a painted sheet of poster board, using
cheap tempera paints to create a muddy green color one might find near an industrial area around NYC.
This stuff is more viscous, and hence easier to work with, than commercially available resins. It also doesn't
bubble.
The bridge was then set into the puddle and weeds added. The next day, we placed a Walther's back drop
to force some perspective, gluing it to foam poster board and a spray adhesive. This in turn was glued to
the baseboard edge, and affixed with some carpet tacks to hold it snug while the glue set. This turned out to
be surprisingly strong, although we might firm it up a little by some perpendicular extensions.
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Posted - June 16 2022 : 10:43:17 AM
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quote:Yes! We'd all love to see it.
Originally posted by Chops124Â -Â March 17 2022Â :Â 2:18:38 PM
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Just now, three months later I noticed this reply. So here it is, my version of the Tyco Layout Expander redone with Atlas #4 switches.
I tried to keep the plan as faithful to the original as possible. with the only major change being the addition of a second crossover between the inner and outer loops, so you don't have to back trains out anymore. Here is the track list:
Track
500, H0 Atlas Code 83, Flex 36". 1 (Minimum number of units: 1)
510, H0 Atlas Code 83, Straight 9". (bulk) 18
512, H0 Atlas Code 83, Curve radius 18", angle 30º (bulk) 35
518, H0 Atlas Code 83, Buffer/Bumper 1.26". 3
521, H0 Atlas Code 83, Straight 6". 4
522, H0 Atlas Code 83, Straight 3". 4
524-1¼, H0 Atlas Code 83, Straight 1.25". 1
524-1½, H0 Atlas Code 83, Straight 1.5". 2
524-2, H0 Atlas Code 83, Straight 2". 1
524-2½, H0 Atlas Code 83, Straight 2.5". 1
534, H0 Atlas Code 83, Curve radius 18", angle 10º 5
537, H0 Atlas Code 83, Curve radius 22", angle 7.5º 2
561, H0 Atlas Code 83, #4. Left turnout 9". (custom) 5
562, H0 Atlas Code 83, #4. Right turnout 9". (custom) 4
Edited by - jward on June 16 2022 10:48:19 AM
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